​As I begin to close in on the final episodes of season one of Star Trek, I have to admit that I find myself reflecting upon where this journey has taken me thus far. Because this really has been one of the wildest rides I’ve ever enjoyed when it comes to television since year one of this iconic saga has been all over the place storytelling wise. For we’ve seen some brilliant tales, the kind that remind us why we love this saga so, while at the same time… we’ve also revisited some awful stories, the kind that would trend badly on Twitter in this day and age. If anything, this unique voyage back through the stars has proven that creating a new television show is no easy task, and it takes way more time to perfect a series than expected and for proof, look no further than the next episode of this iconic series.
 
Because ‘The Return of the Archons’ was in brief, a supremely weird episode. One that tried to accomplish way too many things over the course of the hour. For this particular tale tries to be a fascinating mystery early on, since we are introduced to a strange community on Beta III, one devoid of personality and charm and one that loves to celebrate violence from dusk ‘till dawn apparently and well, this was all just weird to see on screen. Because while I get this was designed to pique our curiosity and suck us into the story, it’s so off the wall and so outlandish that it does the opposite. In fact, it straight up leaves you uncomfortable and it feels awkward to watch and sadly that only gets worse as the episode rolls on.
 
For this particular tale also offers up zero clues to the audience as to what exactly is going on here, something that could have made these odd events palpable. Instead, we just know that there’s a supreme being named Landru, and he apparently controls all, and while I get that we are supposed to fear him, the curiosity surrounding this being removes any fear from our minds. Because the audience is instead determined to see if the story is going to reveal anything about this being and explain why it is so obsessed with peace and tranquility and well, that’s where this episode fails the viewer. Because it takes way too long to get to those answers and by the time the truth is revealed, it is underwhelming at best.
 
After all, it turns out that Landru is an ancient computer, one programmed to bring harmony to this world and that’s just… eh. I mean come on, you spend all this time building up a society that is brainwashed and loyal to a deity that can control soundwaves and appear at will as a hologram, only to reveal that it’s an angry supercomputer? It just doesn’t work or wow us, especially when one considers that we’ve been introduced to beings that can control time and space with the mere raising of an eyebrow, making this episode nothing more than filler at best and that’s a shame because it had some serious potential story wise.
 
Because this one clearly could have gone deeper into notions of faith and undying devotion in an era where technology and science clearly dominate every aspect of human life, or it could have explored the power of said technology, when we let it control our lives. But instead, we are left with this confusing and weird mess and well, I suppose the only lesson to truly extract from this story is that; when the stories were good in season one of this series, they were shockingly good, and when they were bad, they were supremely bad and this one meets that latter qualification, and it is what it is. Because to paraphrase Jonathan Frakes, you can’t win them all, and I suppose what will make this one easier to let go of, is the sheer fact that the next episode up, is one of the franchise’s finest. So, it’s best I just chalk this one up to growing pains and hit play on the good stuff. Until next time. 

​It’s rare in this current era of peak television, to find a new series that is in essence, flawless from the get-go. For so many shows are working to find their voice and their style in their first year, and that means that growing pains are part of the game early on as those particular shows stumble on their way to glory. Which means that you outright cherish the ones that have everything figured out from the beginning and that’s precisely why we need to celebrate The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. Because this particular series came out of the gate firing on all eight cylinders by providing us with a perfect series premiere, one that elicited a genuine sense of wonder thanks to its polished script and powerful performances and majestic worldbuilding, and it just so happens the next episode in this enriching tale, did a fine job of enhancing everything the opening chapter of this saga had to offer.
 
For ‘Nothing Is Simple Anymore’ found a way to immerse us further into the beautiful world that is Thra, by outright allowing us to explore it further by way of Deet’s journey in this tale. Since her push to reach Ha’rar took us through the rich forests of this world and it was just incredible to see the beautiful and rich wildlife that populate this place and run into a familiar face as well since Fizzgig’s species popped up here too. Plus, it was lovely to learn that there are more noble creatures out there like Deet, since we got to meet an incredibly brave Podling known as Hup, a man who has zero sense of fear and is willing take on any threat that comes his way with his trusty spoon and honestly, it should be awesome to see what kind of adventures he and Deet find themselves immersed within in episodes to come since everything they experienced here was just a true delight.
 
But, while it was incredible to see Thra in all its glory, and watch our curious princess continue to work toward the truth and see Aughra awaken and return from her journey through the stars, what truly allowed for this episode to stand out in my mind, was everything that happened with the Skeksis. For spending time with them allowed for a little social commentary to come into play since the Chamberlain’s misinformation campaign had echoes of the world we live in now since there are voices in our modern society that wish for all of us to believe the lies, they tell us. And it was quite chilling to see the lies work so well in this fictional land because it served as a fine reminder that people eat them up with similar ease in the real world and I have to admit, I’m quite impressed with the subtle commentary present here and I’m also quite curious to see what else this show has to say about our world.
 
All of that aside however, the exploration of the world of the Skeksis didn’t end with an examination of modern society. For we spent a lot of time in this tale, learning about how little they trust one another, and how willing they are to stab each other in the back in order to get ahead and get what they want and truly, I hadn’t a clue why the Chamberlain was so hated by his peers in the movie, until now. Because this massive jerk will do whatever it takes to get ahead, including inflicting serious harm on others since his machinations and manipulations harmed the Scientist’s standing with the Emperor to the point where we finally learned how he lost his eye, and if anything this segment of the story served to remind us that evil is loyal to no one, and is happy to cause internal strife with its own kind and I get the feeling that we will likely see the Chamberlain’s ‘friends’ begin to turn their backs on him in the days to come since I’m sure he’s just getting started, when it comes to making trouble for others.
 
But all of that aside, I also thoroughly enjoyed the grandiose setup that this episode is putting together when it comes to Rian’s journey. For making him the ‘bad guy’ and putting him on the run is outright brilliant since he will have to earn his heroic status down the line, and it should be interesting to see how he convinces others of the Skeksis’ lies since the word is now out that his mind may be ‘infected’ and really, when all is said and done, this second episode was nothing short of brilliant. Because once again it featured a beautifully woven story, one that is taking just enough time to set up an epic conflict between Gelfing and Skeksis and we’re slowly watching new heroes come into their own and I am definitely ready for more. For it is clear now that everything we see in the film finale of this tale will be set up here somehow and watching that story come together before my eyes is simply magical and well, if you’ll excuse me, it’s clear that I need to return to Thra as quickly as possible to see enjoy more of this powerful and enriching story. Until next time. 

I’ve always loved it when Star Trek challenges its characters in ways, we never thought possible. Because the utopia they live in rarely provides the characters with a quality internal conflict since they always know the way forward, is to take the high road. So, to see them stumble and struggle is always a rare and powerful treat, especially when it involves a captain of the Enterprise or the skipper of a respective ship of a respective series. For a captain is the epitome of what Starfleet stands for and to seem them immersed in a crisis is no small feat and it just so happens that James T. Kirk found himself dealing with one incredible challenge in the next episode of the series, the kind that quite frankly, could have ended his career.
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For ‘Court Martial’ saw the captain on trial for gross negligence, which sounds impossible because this is Jim Kirk we are talking about here, the most responsible captain to ever man the chair when it comes to this particular era of Starfleet history. But here we were, with his reputation hanging in the balance, his peers judging him and the setup for the trial was fascinating to say the least. Because the thought of fellow captains and officers showing disrespect to Jim seems unheard of, but that happened here and it was just wild to see him on his own little island, clinging to the notion that he would be exonerated, a bubble that was burst the instant the trail got underway.

Because everything we saw on screen made it appear as though Jim Kirk had lost his moxie. I mean come on, there’s visual evidence of him accidentally killing a crew member by blasting him out into space before calling a Red Alert and that’s the kind of stuff that makes you wonder if Kirk has been out here for too long, something compounded by his negative medical results in ‘Shore Leave’. But this was all part of a well-crafted script, one that turned out to be more than an examination of what could bring a proud man to his breaking point, since it turned out that this story was focused instead upon the power of revenge since Spock came to learn, that all the evidence presented, was a forgery.

In fact, it turns out that the crewman who was supposedly ejected into the void by accident, a Lieutenant Commander Benjamin Finney, never left the ship at all. No, instead he stayed behind to frame Captain Kirk and ruin his career, all because a long time ago he made a mistake that Kirk pointed out to his commanding officer and this was, a stroke of genius storytelling wise. Because it reaffirms the fact that Kirk is the best damn captain in the fleet, and it offered up a tragic tale of a proud man who could never recover from a single mistake in his career and it was fascinating to meet a man in the service who truly believed that his pitfalls, career wise, were someone else’s fault when he could have easily fixed this mess by becoming a stellar officer.

Which in turn shows us how revenge can ruin us since it consumed Finney and heaven only knows how long he was piecing together this particular plot and of course, this decision in turn ruined his career and really, when all is said and done, I really enjoyed this episode. Because it truly found a way to engage me from the get-go, and the story was simply top-notch thanks to all its twists and turns and the acting is also of note as well. For Shatner and Nimoy and Kelley are at their best here, and the supporting cast of lawyers are equally as dynamic and while this may not be the most philosophical episode of Star Trek, it’s still a solid character piece and that’s all that matters, because it’s the crew of the Enterprise that we are here for, and it was nice to learn a little more about Kirk and his crew and the bond they all share. Until next time. 

I think it is safe to say that the 1982 film The Dark Crystal, was truly a revolutionary and influential film in its own right for so many reasons. For not only did it show the world the true power of practical special effects, it ignited our imagination in ways we never thought possible by creating a world and a story that defied convention since it whisked the audience away to a place that never once felt familiar in the slightest and it’s legacy, is one of fond remembrance by fans everywhere, giving it a genuinely iconic status to say the least. 
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Which is why I was a both nervous and excited to hear that Netflix was planning to offer up a prequel to this particular motion picture. Because while it sounded delightful to return to the mysterious world of Thra and see what modern filmmaking techniques could do with this majestic world, we already knew the ending of the story, leaving one to wonder if there was really anything left to explore in this world. And of course, there’s always that sense of worry that accompanies such announcements since one is always curious as to whether or not the quality of the next entry of a particular tale will remotely hold a flame to the original. 

But thankfully, my worries and concerns about The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance immediately melted away the instant I started to watch the series premiere. For ‘End. Begin. All the Same.’ was able to immediately recapture the magic of the original movie, in large part thanks to the powerful visuals present in this new story. Because the cinematography is gorgeous for certain and this magnificent blend of puppetry and CGI is everything this saga needed and more and of course, it’s important to note that the puppet work here is seamless and wonderful. Almost as if the crew that put together the original story just went right back to work since the little quirks of the Gelfings and the Seksis are still on display and the wonders of this story don’t end with its special effects. 

Because this opening chapter does an incredible job of worldbuilding to say the least, since we get a breathtaking look at Thra this time around. In fact, every single corner of this world and the rich Gelfing cultures that inhabit it, at this particular time, are presented to us over the course of the hour, and while that seems like too much to process, that’s simply not the case. Because there is so much to see and learn about these cultures that you’re instantly hungry to know more about all of them and that’s really no small feat. Because that particular curiosity is what drew us into the original film and the series gets serious credit for doing such a fine job of building a new world and a new mythos.
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Yet what truly impressed me the most about this premiere, is the sheer fact that it stays true to the structure of the original film by offering up some smart thematic concepts for the audience to chew upon, the kind that feel familiar before they grow into something more. Case and point, while the original movie features a heavy focus on facing our fears and being brave in the face of adversity, this show takes those ideas one step further by reminding us to question things that are too good to be true and to expect better of our leaders. Because to do otherwise is to invite complacency and evil into our lives and into our world and I’m quite curious to see where these concepts and the forthcoming political commentary is going to go in future episodes.

But in the here and the now, this series premiere is one to be celebrated. For it has recaptured the magic of the original film in beautiful fashion, and the characters that populate this world are as rich as ever and their personalities are further enhanced by some supremely big names voice acting wise. Because I was stunned to learn how many A-list names are present in this story, some of which are almost unrecognizable, like Simon Pegg as the Chamberlain and well, when all is said and done, I am definitely hooked when it comes to this series. For after all this time, there are still quality stories to tell when it comes to Thra, and this series is seemingly shaping up to have a little modern relevance as well and I am ready to enjoy every last second of it. Until next time. 

I feel as though we’ve spent a lot of time over the past few Retro Recaps talking about ‘standards’ for the Star Trek franchise and there’s good reason for that. Because we’ve in essence hit the motherlode when it comes to these Retro Recaps since we’ve been able to reflect upon some supremely important moments in the franchise’s proud history. The kind that would forever resonate within the framework of the franchise, influencing other shows to visit these concepts time and time again and well, I suppose I’m slightly reflective of this particular discovery today, because the next episode of The Original Series saw the first appearance of another important plot point that the franchise would deeply fall in love with; time travel.
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For ‘Tomorrow Is Yesterday’ saw the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise have an unfortunate run-in with a gravitationally strong Black Star. One so powerful that it managed to catapult the ship into Earth’s past, the 1960s to be exact, wherein they were forced to interact with an Air Force Captain shortly after he got a little too close to the Constitution Class vessel and well, this ended up being quite the magnificent episode when all is said and done. Mainly due to the fact that this one really set the tone for future stories that would involve temporal shenanigans, since it focused heavily on the moral implications/complications when it comes to time travel as a whole.

The moral stuff was handled mostly aboard the Enterprise itself since Spock had to convince Kirk of the dangers of bringing Captain Christopher aboard the ship and I suppose this is really where the rules for the future were put into place since Spock points out the fact, that any changes to the timeline will cause all kinds of surprises and damage when and if they return to the 23rd Century. And of course, poor Kirk is forced to make a tough call when it comes to Mister Christopher, since he has to keep the man aboard to try and preserve the timeline and well, I loved this segment of the story. Because it poses some serious philosophical questions about time travel as a whole, if by chance man were able to achieve it and I’m glad it offered no easy answers outside of… don’t mess with the past.

But while all of that was interesting in its own right, this episode also offered up a lot of entertaining moments as well. Because Kirk and Sulu puttering around at the Air Force Base made for some delightfully awkward and charming moments, especially when the unnamed Air Force Sergeant gets beamed up to the ship, and Kirk does do an amazing job of keeping his cover while under fire. But all entertainment and conflict aside, I suppose if I had only one complaint about this story, it would have to be its ending. Because the whole thing does wrap up in ‘too-perfect’ fashion timeline wise, something that feels a little cheap considering what’s at stake here. But that really is a minor complaint since this is the saga’s first outing into the past.

If anything, all of these elements make for an easily digestible episode of Star Trek, which is quite impressive when you think about the subject matter. For there are so many other time-travel related stories waiting for us down the line, that become quite the convoluted and confusing mess. But this one, this was just a quick and simple ride, one that featured some laughs, some adventure and plenty of action and honestly, some cool special effects. Because the remastered stuff here really works well on screen and it was neat to see the Enterprise floating through the skies. Either way, that’s another first for the franchise in the books and as we hit the home stretch for season one, my excitement is only growing because the stories just keep getting better and better. Until next time.

A few weeks back, I made mention of the possibility that this season of Lodge 49 was going to dive into something supremely philosophical when it comes to life in general, specifically, that it was going to explore what comes next for us when we confront some of our biggest issues/problems in life. Which quite frankly, left me excited for certain because few stories ever show us the aftermath, they only provide us with the happy ending in question. But for the most part, the series didn’t quite dive into those matters as season two got underway. Instead the show opted to further build the mystique surrounding the Scrolls and dive back into some of the other unresolved issues that these dynamic characters have been dealing with for ages.
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But it would seem that this deviation was all part of a lovely master plan. For as it turns out, this week’s episode of the series slipped right back into the notion of what comes next for all of us and well, what it explored was quite frankly fascinating to say the least. Because ‘Conjunctio’ more or less showed us that despite achieving our respective goals in Hollywood-esque fashion, the world still keeps on turning, and the life rumbles along and we still have to respond to it. Plus, it also took the time to demonstrate that sometimes, the ending doesn’t quite deliver what we hoped. Take Scott’s journey in this tale for instance, since he found himself in a tough place as people continued to turn their back on him as Sovereign Protector, even going so far as to call him a fraud and that led to further isolation for Scott as he came to realize that leadership isn’t quite all it is cracked up to be and it should be interesting to see if he continues to double down on his leadership style, or if he finally opens up, as Jocelyn suggested Scott do before he returned to London.

Yet while little vignettes like that were fascinating in their own right, much of the exploration of what comes next was handled via our primary trio of characters and Ernie’s segment of the story allowed for us to begin to learn how some people become quite introspective when they reach their respective threshold. Because Ernie slipped into ‘wise sage’ mode in this this story as it was finally made clear that he’s currently feeling nothing but regret for always chasing the next big thing and has never once taken the time to appreciate the little things in life. And while he feels as though his foolishness has now allowed for life to pass him by, that doesn’t mean he can’t lend a hand to others who might be heading down a similar path, which is why he worked with El Confidente to keep Dud from heading out on the next quest for the Scrolls, and it was just fascinating to see that Ernie is now focused on saving others from themselves as penance for a life he feels he’s wasted and one has to wonder as to whether or not Ernie will seek redemption in the weeks to come or stay in this dark world of regret. 

However, while Ernie’s journey was powerful in its own right, the show wasn’t quite done with its examination of how introspection is part of our next steps following an important moment in our lives and Liz handled the rest of that exploration. Because now that she is debt free and made that happen in the most unique and bold way imaginable, she’s starting to wonder exactly where she gets it from, since that’s something that wasn’t quite a thing for her father. Which prompted her to spend more time with Lenore in order to learn more about her mother and what kind of person she was and this part of the story helped to remind us that sometimes this kind of search can lead to complications since this brought forth Liz’s desire to have a mother figure in her life and Lenore is currently filling that void, which may lead to some interesting conflict down the line, since it would seem that Lenore may not have Liz’s best interests in mind and for proof I offer up one word; fydration.
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But while it seems as though the story seemed to emphasize that looking toward yesterday is all that people are capable of when they reach an important point in their lives, it was also quick to show us that people handle that threshold in other ways as well. For Dud’s journey dug deep into the notion of how the future is sometimes all we can think about once we’ve conquered a particular demon in our lives and that’s precisely where is mind is right now. Because he’s made peace with the death of his father, and he’s on the mend and looking for financial security so he can have a family of his own and pass on the joy and the love that his heart is filled with when it comes to his father, to his children, and this was, such a hopeful place for this story to go since Dud seemingly never thinks about tomorrow. But now we know it’s been on his mind for quite some time now and well, considering the fact that he tied the knot with an old flame in this tale, he’s clearly ready to get started on his plans for the future as soon as humanly possible.

If anything, all of these elements made for one brilliant episode, because everything that was explored here was handled in realistic and humble fashion. There was no preaching to be found here, no judgment or a sense that the characters were doing right or wrong. They were just living, and I cannot emphasize enough how wonderful that is to find within the framework of a television series. For this is about as close to real-life as T.V. gets since our complexities and our insecurities and wonder are all on display in this series and I love that the show is finding a way to explore new corners of the human condition, all while continuing to expand the mythos of the Scrolls since the hunt is back on for those and well, when all is said and done, I really am hungry for more of this series. Because it’s diving into new territory when it comes to our psyche and its wonderfully bittersweet style of storytelling offers comfort and calm since it reminds you that we’re all on this tough journey together and well, I really can’t wait for next Monday to see where this powerful story is headed next.

I think what I love the most about ‘iconic’ moments in television, is that the people behind the scenes and the audience watching the show in question, haven’t a clue that a historic and franchise establishing moment is taking place. After all, the cast and crew were just doing their job, and the folks at home were or are just enjoying another tale, meaning that it is history and time that in essence creates those all-important moments since it is the viewers that talk about that particular tale nonstop and sell its wonder to others and really, the power of the iconic moment and its genesis in general is on my mind today, simply because the next episode of Star Trek on my series re-watch, is one that meets the criteria we just discussed. For it is one we look back fondly upon and one that in many ways put the series on the map since so many remember this one fondly for its incredible showdown on a remote alien world.
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For ‘Arena’ is the tale that everyone knows, even if they haven’t seen it, all because this is the story where Captain Kirk and the Gorn duked it out in a desert that oddly resembles Vasquez Rock just outside of Los Angeles and well, once I realized what I had stumbled upon, a smile crossed my face that didn’t leave until the episode ended because I truly see why so many people continue to love this tale and perhaps see it as a fundamental story for the franchise. Because it does happen to feature quite the mystery, since you haven’t a clue who attacked that remote Starfleet outpost, or who is bombarding the crew when they beam down and that instantly sucks you into this story and keeps you hungry to know more and the wonder of this story only grows from there.

Because the life and death struggle that Kirk finds himself in the midst of is pretty intense, far more than modern pop-culture has presented it at times since the captain does find himself pinned beneath a rock and desperate for a break when death seemingly comes calling. But what matters most during this segment is that Kirk is able to demonstrate our better side, by not killing the Gorn captain, and there is something supremely noble and powerful about seeing the duality of man in this tale since both our savagery and our ability to offer great beauty and mercy is on display over the course of the hour. If anything, that’s really the simplest path to explain what Starfleet and the Federation stand for if you’re new to the franchise, and if you’re already a fan, revisiting this particular story just reinforces the saga’s wonder and hopeful tone.

Yet, it wouldn’t be right to talk about this episode and not point out why it is also lampooned in pop-culture in this day and age. Because despite the remastering of the external effects, there is definitely a sense of dating that comes forth when we get to the planet in question. For the Gorn is clearly a dude in a giant green suit, and that comes off in hammy and silly fashion from time to time, and some of the feats of strength he is able to accomplish, clearly involve Styrofoam. Plus, Shatner hams it up a plenty in this tale, offering his trademark Shatner-gasp whenever possible. However, let’s be honest, the cheese is also part of the charm of this episode because the combination of hokeyness and the underlying message present here, somehow makes this story supremely endearing and truly, I love how much this tale means to the fanbase.

For it’s made Vazquez Rock a mecca for the fans and it’s inspired other stories to be told in this wondrous place since Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey made this location central to its plot and the upcoming Star Trek: Picard filmed there, and that show’s showrunner, Michael Chabon, recently posted a picture of his time there on social media. Meaning that this episode made The Original Series tangible, and it’s so cool to see this story 53 years after it first debuted and reflect upon its progression and its impact. But, I suppose if I have any complaint about this tale, it’s that the mysterious aliens that pitted man against Gorn were never mentioned again in the saga, making me wonder if Star Trek: Discovery will find a way to sneak them in since they’re so close the thousand year mark set forth in this story. But I digress, because in the here and the now, we just need to bask in this glorious and somewhat hokey tale, and relish in the fact that this one helped to put a stellar series on the map and I cannot wait to settle in to watch more quality stories from a show that changed the face of science fiction forever. Until next time. 

Whether or not you’re a fan of religion, I think we can all agree upon the fact that it has maintained a huge influence over modern society. For we’ve fought wars in the name of religion, we’ve structured our laws around common sense lessons that every book of faith out there has taught us and even in 2019, the power of religion is something that rears its head thanks to the power of modern technology. But while it still holds weight with so many and continues to influence a great many lives, there are still a lot of questions that linger over these beliefs. Because man’s interpretation has left some things in these good books a touch unclear, such as how no one seems to understand exactly what God wants, and for proof, just take a look at the structure of the modern Bible.
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Because for quite some time in that book, He was an angry deity, one that would quite literally rain down fire and brimstone or drown a few folks all because of our actions and our selfishness. Yet, it didn’t take long for the Lord to suddenly become filled with mercy since He sent his only son down to earth to absolve mankind of sin. If anything, these conflicts in character reinforce the confusion revolving around His wishes, and what exactly God is looking to accomplish and obtain when it comes to His master plan is something that Preacher decided to explore in its next episode, ‘The Lost Apostle’. For this story had us spend a lot of time with God, wherein we learned that this is an omnipotent being that finds joy in being adored and respected, as evidenced by his reflective moments involving his greatest hits from the Bible.

Plus we also came to learn that He is indeed an all-knowing creature, since He was able to sniff out the fact that Herr Starr lost Humperdoo somewhere along the line and He has been waiting for the Allfather to reveal the truth, and boy did Starr pay the price for finally having his lies exposed. But all of those interesting character moments aside, it’s what He wants that continued to make this tale fascinating, because the story really didn’t answer that question in the slightest. We just know that the Lord wants to complete his ultimate plan, and whatever that is, involves Jesse and his friends, since he seemingly let Tulip discover his little model motif, in order to bring Jesse to the devastating moment that this tale ended with. 

But before we get to that, we need to talk about the Saint of Killers and the hilarious rescue operation that also happened in this episode since all of that was incredibly worth our while. For we finally came to learn exactly why the Saint has been chasing down Jesse after all this time, and it wasn’t to murder Jess with impunity for sending him to Hell, it was to join forces, so the Saint could bring down God for making him suffer so dearly. And it was just fascinating to see the Saint do his best to convince Jesse to do things his way and thank heavens that Tulip and Cass were able to orchestrate Jesse’s escape before the tense dynamic between these unlikely and uncomfortable ‘allies’ caused more harm than good. Which brings us to the rescue operation in question because that… was the stuff of comedy legend.
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I mean come on, both Tulip and Cass driving into Melbourne with a chip on their shoulders and immediately flexing up on the local police there, in order to get as close to Jesse as possible? That’s just the best, and watching Tulip toss everything’s off the commissioner’s desk left me in stitches because that was just too much. But while it was nice to see them finally come to terms with their feelings for Jesse, and go above and beyond in saving him, clearly God’s plan involved bringing Jesse down at the first chance he could. For in the closing moments of this episode, God’s nuclear plan went off without a hitch and he was able to rattle the plane carrying Jesse and his friends, and in effort to keep them safe, our favorite padre let himself fall to the ground, seemingly losing his life in the process.

Which is, one hell of a heavy and bold ending to say the least, especially when one considers that we are still several weeks from the series finale, and this could have all kinds of repercussions across the show, especially when it comes to the Grail’s apocalyptic plans and well, I’m really not sure where we go from here and that makes this episode brilliant in its own right. Because this particular tale more or less ignites one’s imagination, since it leaves us with so many questions and continues to build upon the Lord’s mystique and I love that, and it makes me want more and it stinks that once again I have to wait week to see what happens to Jesse’s soul (because let’s not forget about the deal Gran’Ma made for it), because this week’s tale just made the final season all the more juicier. Until next time.